Sorry for the Love
by Steve the Icecube
Summary: Bruce is keeping a painful secret from Tony, and as Tony digs himself an even deeper hole in his own life, it's becoming harder and harder for Bruce to not just go up to him and kiss him. Because he hates seeing Tony hurt, but he doesn't want to make Tony feel worse.


**AN: I have absolutely no idea where this is going. But I'm writing drabbles, and that's how it's going to stay.**

When I first met you, I honestly still thought that you were very much the over reactive billionaire you are always betrayed as in all those tabloids and newspaper articles.

I mean, what kind of person just walks up to a scientist, completments them on their work and then tells them theat they are a fan of the very thing the scientist hates with all of his being, and something that should be feared? It just isn't done and it's horribly untactful.

But then, when you wanted to work with me in the lab, and you made a point of testing my limits, I knew that you weren't everything you pretened to be. There was no way that someone so… Tony Stark… Would ever do both those things.

And then Steve insulted you. You, for one single moment, were hurt, and someone I could relate with.

Overconfident, yes. You asked a god if he wanted a drink, when you knew full well that he could take over your mind or kill you within moments.

Insensitive… Well, I thought so, at first.

Funny, definitely. You made at least three silly jokes in the first five minutes I knew you for.

And I knew, that without a doubt, you trusted me. No one had done that for a long time.

And it wasn't until after the Chitauri that I knew I trusted you too.

After the events of Manhattan, I felt… I felt really sorry for you. I knew I shouldn't have, because you wouldn't like that, but I couldn't help it.

You were just… Hurt. I could see it in your eyes. After the first few days of recovery, when everyone else was okay, I could see that you weren't. It was the way you were moving around. Stiff, erratic. You weren't okay, no matter how many times you told Steve and Pepper and Rhodes that you were.

And then there was the day that I hugged you.

I don't know where it came from, but I did. I hugged you, because I knew that you needed comfort.

Don't even ask me how I knew. Because I'm not a psychologist. I don't want to be, either, because I wouldn't want to listen to people talking about their problems when I have enough of my own.

You froze the second I hugged you. I couldn't blame you, I would have done the same. You weren't expecting it, not at all.

Then, your eyes wide, you hugged me back. No, you practically melted into the hug, hugging me back tightly.

I can't tell you how happy that made me feel inside.

Then, whenever I was around you, I started getting these odd thoughts. I was thinking the kind of things that Pepper probably thought about you, when she wasn't sure whether you were interested in her or not.

Is that bad? You have a girlfriend. I'd extend that and call you her partner. You're both very much together. And as far as I know, you're completely straight.

Not gay like me at all.

You, you, you broke up with Pepper?

Why?

Tony, as much as I do like you in the way that I shouldn't, Pepper is good for you. You were happy with her, you loved each other, anyone could see that. You bickered so easily, but it was all friendly.

At least, we all thought it was friendly and just something that you did, but then again, both of you were very good at acting. Especially you, Tony.

You're always acting, pretending. I've been able to see it for ages.

But, despite my childish crush on you, I don't think you should have broken up with Pepper. She really is good for you. And what if now, she can't take working with you and she quits, leaving you without a PA of sorts, and back in charge of a company you never really knew how to run in the first place?

Tony, just think.

Okay, I take that back, Pepper would never leave her position at Stark Industries. But everyone in the tower now knows that you've broken up, because she's moved out, she's only ever here for business, and you never even talk personally anymore.

And to top it all off, Natasha is getting on to me to confess my feelings to you.

Oh, and Tony?

I'm sorry that I have a crush on you.


End file.
